Moily says no roll-back of hike in fuel prices

Bangalore, Feb 18 (IANS) Petroleum Minister M. Veerappa Moily Monday ruled out a roll-back in the recent hike of Rs.1.50 for a litre of petrol and 45 paise for a litre of diesel.

Asked if the government would roll back the hike, Moily said "no".

"It is only a small increase and people will understand," Moily told reporters on the margins of a function to commission a 1,000km pipeline from Dhabol in Maharashtra to Bangalore to bring natural gas to Karnataka for the first time.

The pipeline, built by GAIL India at a cost of Rs.4,500 crore, would bring natural gas to power industries in eight districts, including Bangalore.

Moily said work was on to provide piped cooking gas to household in Bangalore and also for supplying natural gas to automobiles in the city.

GAIL said in a release that its "initiative will bring natural gas to the people of Karnataka for the first time."